The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has given residents, traders, artisans and drivers operating within its high-voltage transmission corridor at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region 30 days to vacate the area.
The notice forms part of an intensified exercise by GRIDCo to clear encroachments from its transmission Right of Way (RoW), which the company says must remain free of structures and activities to protect the public and safeguard critical electricity infrastructure.
GRIDCo’s Director of Land Management, Engineer Bismark Anane, said the cleared corridor was necessary to enable engineers to access transmission facilities for routine maintenance and emergency repairs.
“We need a corridor that is free of any encumbrances or what we call encroachment. This is to protect the infrastructure and also to ensure public safety,” he said.
He explained that unrestricted access was particularly important in emergencies, including situations where a conductor falls or a fault occurs on the network.
“If there is a snap, or a conductor falls, we need immediate access to the transmission infrastructure to be able to repair it, to restore electricity,” he added.
Despite previous sensitisation campaigns, GRIDCo says encroachment on its transmission corridors remains a challenge.
At Ejisu, several people have established businesses, workshops and other activities within the restricted corridor. Those affected include traders, artisans, residents and drivers.
While some occupants acknowledge the potential safety risks, they are appealing to GRIDCo and other relevant authorities to make alternative arrangements before the eviction is enforced.
They argue that an abrupt loss of their workplaces could disrupt their livelihoods and are calling for assistance to identify suitable locations where they can relocate their businesses and activities.
GRIDCo, however, says compensation may be considered where its own projects directly affect verified residences or livelihoods.
Engineer Anane said affected persons are identified through an enumeration process to establish whether they qualify for compensation.
“Once it is verified that the project will impact either your livelihood or place of residence, GRIDCo will take measures to compensate the affected person,” he said.
GRIDCo is urging all occupants within the Ejisu transmission corridor to comply with the 30-day notice and vacate the area.
The company says keeping the Right of Way clear is essential to protecting communities living and working around high-voltage transmission lines while ensuring that engineers have unobstructed access to the electricity network.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
